


Repercussions of War

by Constance_Truggle



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Captain America: Civil War (Movie) Spoilers, Drabble, Feels, Gen, More expose than anything, Not nice to Steve Rogers, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Really just wanted that display, Tony Stark Feels, ish, seriously, sort of, that's all
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-10
Updated: 2017-04-16
Packaged: 2018-07-14 06:33:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,157
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7157483
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Constance_Truggle/pseuds/Constance_Truggle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Drabbley bit of narrative. </p><p>Tony creates a reminder of why trusting someone only leads to heartache.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So I'm really not sure about this fandom. Me writing in it, that is. Really, this whole thing came about because I really wanted that display. I have very strong feelings about Civil War, and have read too many post CW fics where Tony is a bit of a pussy, but I don't see that. If anyone wants to use any of this, go for it!  
> EDIT: Removed a piece that wasn't working for me. If you read the comments, ignore ones about the arm.

**HYDRA base, Siberia**

It was a good thing that HYDRA left so much in this base, including the generator. After he finally managed to wrangle himself out of his suit, it was relatively easy to get a message to FRIDAY for extraction. It was a bit of a shock that his rescuer was the previously-thought-dead Agent Agent, but it was also a bit of a balm to see the horrified look on the face of Cap’s biggest fan. Tony still watched over his suit parts with an eagle eye as they were loaded into what Coulson called the Bus. He had plans for it.

**New York**

When he got back to the Tower, because he couldn’t stomach going to the compound just yet, not while Rhodey was still in the hospital and reminders of his old team were _everywhere_ , he set to work on creating legs for his friend. One of three. His broken suit was discarded by the door to his lab, abandoned for now, but not forgotten.

**Eight Months Later**

The Compound was filled with life again. The Avengers had returned. Even Tony Stark. He was there to greet the others, and he was everything that was polite and professional. And cold. There was no welcoming ramble, no warm smiles. 

The most glaring change, though, was only seen once the others stepped into the workshop. There, in a lit display case, was the chest plate of the Iron Man armor Tony wore in Siberia. And laying on the bottom of the case, the vibranium shield that placed the gouges on the wrecked piece of armor. A reminder. Steve never went in there again. 


	2. Addendum

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Life went on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I wasn't ever planning to continue this. I thought it was perfect as it was. But I was reading _Lights Will Guide You Home_ by mr_stank, and thinking about how Tony would behave after everything, especially towards Steve. There's even a brief summarization of this in my comments in chapter seven of that work. So here you go. My addendum.
> 
> Also, this was quickly typed up on my phone, so please point out whatever mistakes I don't catch so I can fix them. Nothing ruins the flow of reading more than having to adjust shit mentally.
> 
> CT.

**Addendum**

 

After the Roguevengers returned, life slowly made its way back to a semblance of normality. The Avengers trained, both together and separate. Tony repaired their gear, and created masterpieces for SI. Eventually, he started coming out of his lab even when the returned teammates were around. The sounds of  _living_  returned to the compound.

 

Tony started teasing and joking with the others again. It started with Sam and a quip about falcons that set Clint and Sam off bickering about which bird of prey was better. The older man watched on with a fond smile trying to make its home on his face. Then he would appear for movie night once in a while. He claimed the sole armchair as his; what Scott called his throne to look upon the little people. Tony had laughed it off.

 

One movie night, he even asked Capsicle to grab him a bowl of popcorn "before these heathens eat it all." Steve had frozen at the nickname, before retrieving the popcorn with a new energy. He had a wide smile on his face as he set the bowl beside the billionaire. Tony smiled back briefly in thanks.

 

See, here's the thing. Tony was hurt. He was hurt by Steve's actions. By Steve withholding such a vital piece of information from him. And he was angry that it was so obvious that Steve hadn't told Tony that even a  _villain_ figured it out and used it against them. Tony was hurt that Steve hadn't trusted him enough to even  _listen_ to him about the Accords. Couldn't even be bothered to read them before dismissing them out of hand. And Tony was angry that that self-righteousness helped to tear their team -their  _family_ \- right down the middle. And then Steve took most of the kids in the divorce. 

 

But Tony was also  _tired_. He was tired of everything weighing him down. He was tired of tiptoeing around in his own home. So he let the hurt heal. It scarred over into a nasty, puckered thing, but it healed. He let the anger recede. It flowed away like the tide from the shore. And he felt lighter. But things would never be the same.

 

He saw his armor on the wall every time he entered his workshop. He saw the gouge right across the chest plate, the one that perfectly fit the edge of the shield laying at the bottom of the display. He knew that, if it ever came down to it again, he would not be the one chosen by Steve to protect. That would always go to Barnes. Then to Wilson and Romanoff and Maximoff. Barton and even that Lang guy. Once all of those were covered, only  _then_ would Tony be important enough. But that was a freedom in itself. Because he knew, now, and knowing is half the battle. He could compensate for that knowledge.

 

One Avengers alarm, a few months after his release, Tony turned up with the shield in hand. 

 

"You're gonna need this,  _Mon Capitan_."

 

Steve positively  _beamed_ at him, and he got an approving nod from Natasha. He scoffed and took off, his repulsors leaving a comet of light behind him. Tony had learned to trust Steve in the field again. He trusted that the good captain had his back, or rather, had someone covering it. He trusted in him to make sure the team was safe and well at the end of the battle. Just like they trusted him to handle the press afterwards. And he did. 

 

But the thing of it is, he  _didn't_ trust Steve anymore. Not as a man. He wouldn't trust Steve to hold his secrets, though he's proven very adept at hiding things. He didn't share details of his life with them anymore. They only knew he was even dating again because Rhodey happened to ask about the date in front of them. To which Tony replied that it was fine, and the subject was dropped. Tony didn't inform them when he was leaving the Tower, or why, like he would have before. He didn't bitch about the apparent idiots SI was hiring in the R&D department, or what asshole paparazzi ambushed him this week. He didn't clear the team to visit his workshop, or have access to his schedule. 

 

But the most glaringly obvious signs that pointed that out for the others weren't those things. It was the way Tony only ever called them teammates to the press. How he called Steve his leader, but never claimed him as his friend. Or how Tony refused to be within striking distance of the shield. He didn't appear to fear it being thrown, but if Steve was carrying the shield, Tony found a reason to vacate the area, and fast. It was in the way that Tony tried to keep something between himself and Barnes, or himself and Rogers. How he never, ever,  _ever_ was in arm's length of those two, and refused to be within five meters of them when they were together unless most of the others were also in the room. 

 

So, life went on for all of them. Things settled back into how they used to be for the most part. But things would never be the same again. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... what did you think? I just had a powerful urge to write it really quickly. Hope you enjoyed, and let me know!
> 
> CT.


End file.
